Several types of slags accumulate in industry and become an environmental problem. Its final disposal as fertilizer in agriculture is a practice that can supply plant nutrients and to correct soil acidity while minimizing the environmental impact. However, there is the need for evaluating the risks of slag addition contaminate soils with heavy metals. This study was carried out to determine the effects of the final disposal of a basic slag on the supply of silicon, macronutrients (Ca, Mg and P), micronutrients (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn and Ni) and heavy metals (Cd and Pb) to sugarcane plants grown on an Ultisol. The basic slag doses (0; 0.5; 1.0; 2.0, and 4.0 t ha-1) were applied to the sugarcane at the planting (cultivar RB92579). The results showed that the basic slag increased the concentrations of Ca, Mg, P, Si, Fe, Mn and Zn in soil and reduced the potential acidity. There was an increase in the leaf area and stem height as well as in the Zn concentration in the leaves. Ni, Cd, and Pb were not detected neither in the soil nor in the plant. This indicates that the basic slag tested presented no soil contamination with these heavy metals.
silicion; contamination of soil; micronutrients; heavy metals
